‘Well don’t just stand there, I haven’t got all day!’ sounded from an annoyed voice.
‘Sorry Sir,’ Yates replied.
‘Do you want me to stay, Malcolm?’ asked the man.
‘No, if you just wait outside, I’ll call if I need any help.’
‘Righteo then.’
The soft click of the door was heard before silence loomed but before it absorbed them the doctor gestured towards Yates for him to take a seat, Yates obediently did so.
The whole room was an intense white, the same as any doctor’s surgery is. In front of Yates was a grand wooden desk but behind this enormous item was a small, white haired man with round rim spectacles. A few posters were plastered on one of the walls and the two small windows above the doctor however these windows of life were all barred with rusting iron bars trapping all inside.
The doctor looked up from a file and asked, ‘So you’re being released then?’
‘Released, yes sir.’ Yates replied revelling at the sound of the word release.
‘Well then as you are aware we have to do a medical check just to make sure you are in good health.’
‘After living in a place…’ Yates tailed off the ends of his words knowing that he had spoken out of place from the menacing look from the doctor. ‘Sorry Sir.’
‘You bloody well be if you speak to me like that.’ Exclaimed the doctor.
Silence followed before the usual mutter of ‘Yes Sir’ was said with no enthusiasm.
‘Anyway I’m just going to take a few tests. Err a few blood tests and so on. That ok?’
Yates was surprised. No-one usually asked him anything, he just follows orders but he nodded his head up and down slowly.
The next fifteen minutes comprised of the doctor making various tests with Yates mind thinking on the future. He had put the past behind him knowing what he had done was wrong but being inside had turned him from bad to good. He had found God and repented.
‘Right, everything looks in order. Just one last test.’ The doctor said.
Some sticky pads were placed on Yates’s body with thin stripes of wire leading off. They led up to a little control board which Yates thought nothing of at first.
The doctor doubled checked everything before it surcame to his satisfaction.
The doctor took a final glance at his notes before an evil grin was formed on his crumpled face and the words ‘Goodbye’, came from the smirking face, very slyly.
In the surgery the scene was one of an animal tormenting its prey before the kill. Yates tried to move but was fixated on the doctor’s podgy finger lowering itself to a red button on the control board. There was nothing he could do but stare in horror. He knew it was a trap. The walls started to close. He couldn’t breath. He was going to die. Going to be exterminated. Time stood still then the finger reached its target. Pain exploded through his body.
***
Two men and the doctor were stood around Yates. The sticky pads and equipment had been removed and stored away but there would be more releases in the near future. Yates was slumped in the chair. His face was pale and cold with wide eyes staring in the distance.
‘Right well you two can clear this mess up. I’m off home.’ Said scornfully by the doctor.
With that the doctor turned and exited the room.
‘I suppose we’d better get on with it then y’.’
‘Yeah me shift finishes at 5.00 and I don’t wanna be late. My missus is cooking us steak.’
The two men continued chatting until they decided it was time to finish the job they had been instructed to do.
‘This must be the worst job in the whole prison. We’re just human waste disposal.’
‘It ain’t that bad. Good pay and a nice pension. We’re also helping society keeping these worthless criminals from the public.’
‘Yeah we’re a very merciful society aren’t we? We execute people just because they might be a danger. They could have repented you know.’
‘Danny just listen to you. Anyone would think you’re on the prisoners’ side. At least we spare them the horror of being executed; they think they’ve been acquitted.’
‘Well I don’t think I can take much more of this job.’
***
Down the green corridor the two men walked, the shiny surface echoing back the regular march beat of shoes. They came to the lime green oak door. The clinking of the guards keys sounded before the brass handle turned and allowed entry. A man stepped forward leaving the guard in the corridor.
The doctor turned towards the man. This time there was no evil grin but a small glimpse of remorse. The soft click of the door was heard before silence loomed upon them.
